"The New York Times" is reporting that Russian Intelligence had asked the CIA to scrutinize him, even after the FBI had cleared him. The Russians told the FBI that the elder Tsarvaev brother had "changed drastically since 2010" and was planning to go to Russia to "join unspecified underground groups."

"The FBI took action in response to that notification, investigated the elder brother, investigated thoroughly and came to the conclusion that there was no derogatory information, no indication of terrorist activity or associations either foreign or domestic at that time," White House spokesman Jay Carney said.

When Tsarvaev left the U. S. for Chechnya in January 2012, his name was included on at least three government databases and watch lists as a precaution, but not the "no-fly" list because he'd been deemed "not suspicious". Still, his departure was communicated to the Joint Terrorism Task Force in Boston.